You're beautiful.
Skin Care
1 Splurge of the Week: SK-II Cellumination Essence
Kerastase
2 Splurge of the Week: Kérastase Nutri-Thermique
pedicure
3 Splurge of the Week: AB Happy Feet
Leonor Greyl
4 Splurge of the Week: Leonor Greyl Masque Quintessence
Skin Care
5 Splurge of the Week: ANSR
Holiday
6 Splurge of the Week: A Custom-Made Gift
Nail Polish
7 Splurge of the Week: Chanel Moscow Collection
Wei East
10 Splurge of the Week: WE Help Bring the Hope Collection
Kiehl's
12 Splurge of the Week: Kiehl's Body Cleansing Oil
Skin Care
13 Splurge of the Week: Darphin Aromatic Purifying Balm
A couple of weeks ago, Kérastase sent a package of its new Nutri-Thermique hair care collection. Naturally, the first thing Mr. Bella did was put his nose by the shampoo. "This smells like Holiday Inn stuff," he said. "But it's French," I harrumphed. "They don't even have Holiday Inn in France!" (Not true.) Fast-forward to our next date. I show up after using the shampoo and conditioner, then Read more
Good skin care doesn't have to be expensive. But sometimes it is. SK-II sent me a sample of its new serum Cellumination Essence ($150). Like the rest of the product line, it's infused with Pitera, an ingredient created through sake production. What's different is its Aura Bright Complex, a blend of antiaging and brightening ingredients that promise a lit-from-within glow. All of this sounds Read more
About a year and a half ago, I gave a good review to Darphin's Aromatic Purifying Balm ($70). While I loved the scent and did see good results, the price tag was a little high for me to put it in the you've-absolutely-got-to-try-this category. Fast forward to this month, when my complexion decided to take a trip to crazytown. Breakouts, sensitivity, flaking red skin, the whole nine yards. My Read more
My skin has been going through an oddball itchy phase. Ever the hypochondriac, I became convinced that the cats had fleas. They didn't, so I thought, "Oh no, I've somehow picked up bedbugs!" (I hadn't.) After running through a mile-long list of potential itch-causers, I decided to switch body wash to one that doesn't foam up and potentially irritate my skin. You could probably use a variety of Read more
While on vacation, I took a little, uh, vacation from my normal skincare routine. Unfortunately, this decision resulted in a mess of a complexion upon my return. I had blackheads galore, and the long flight had left my skin dry and flaky. Nice. Oh, but when I returned to Sugar HQ, there was a package from Estée Lauder waiting. Inside: a sample of Idealist Dual-Action Refinishing Treatment Read more
This week's splurge is not only a good deal, it's for a good cause. The Wei East WE Help Bring the Hope Collection ($70) loads $300 worth of herbal skin care into a neat little box. You get full-sized cleanser, serum, eye cream, hand cream, a face mask, and a couple of other treats. But here's the do-gooder part: 100% of sales is donated to Autism Speaks and the Autism Treatment Center of Read more
As much as I love testing beauty products, there are times when I wonder if I'll even remember to put on one more thing! However, that's not the case with Hollybeth's Wildflower Dry Oil. The elixir of botanical infusions and plant extracts (95 percent organic!) provides unparalleled moisture for my dryness. Normally, even my favorite face cream seems to vanish by morning, yet this leaves my skin Read more
When it comes to lip balm, I tend to spend less than $10. I'm just too scatterbrained and forgetful to drop more than that on balm, because inevitably I lose it and feel like a chump for doing so. But now that I've tried Payot Hydratation 24 Protection Levres, I can understand why some people pay a little more. Payot, a decades-old luxury skincare brand, sent me a sample of this lip balm. And Read more
In Russia, Chanel polish nails you! Earlier this month, Karl Lagerfeld presented his pre-fall Paris-Moscow collection, with models sporting a new twist on dark polish. The clothing won't be available for another six months or so, but the three moodily alluring lacquer shades ($30 each) are available now. The base of each polish is black, but they have a hint of color thanks to red, gold, and Read more
If you've been a very, very good girl, you might want to ask Santa to send you Prescriptives' Custom Blend Essentials kit ($115, a $165 value). Inside a metallic train case, you'll find two full-size brushes, a travel-sized bottle of Super Line Preventor Xtreme, and empty bottles of foundation and concealer. The gift recipient can go to one of Prescriptives' Custom Blend counters (find a Read more
